Chapter 98. Chef For Daddy: pt. 4

It had been three weeks of nonstop shoots, and my body still hadn’t adjusted to the pace. Every morning I woke up sore from holding poses too long, my feet blistered from heels. I was only just learning to walk in. But I kept going, because every paycheck reminder in my bank app meant one step closer to getting Eva out of that house and into a doctor’s care. Today was different, though—the biggest collaboration yet between Mr. Enzo’s brand and Prada. I stood backstage with the other models, my stomach twisting as I watched them warm up. They were the girls I used to see in magazines back home—tall, confident, laughing easily with each other like they’d known one another forever. Standing next to them made me feel small, my hands fidgeting with the hem of my robe. I kept my eyes on the floor, cheeks warm, feeling like everyone could tell I didn’t belong.

From across the room, I caught Mr. Enzo watching me. He was leaning against a wall, arms crossed, but when our eyes met he ga